Surf
Competitive trail runners Ryan Sandes and AJ Calitz are both keen surfers. “Surfing is great for stability exercises. It’s a full-body workout and it’s also low-impact.” Calitz adds that it’s one of those exercises that’s so enjoyable you don’t realise you get tired. “After four or five hours you realise that you are exhausted.”

Cycling
“I believe in active recovery to maintain some conditioning and strength in my legs,” says Sandes. “I’d recommend going mountain biking two sessions a week.” “It’s an awesome low-impact exercise that gets the legs ticking over,” says Calitz, adding that it’ll also teach you important aspects of trail running, such as managing your grip on the terrain and how to ascend.

Swimming
Sandes aims for two swimming sessions a week. Swimming is a great low-impact exercise that builds good core strength,” says Calitz. “I think people misjudge the amount of core strength required to run trails. Balance is so important – especially going down, because it’s so stop-start.”